“preserving history”

The Rand Desert Museum is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving, protecting and sharing the historic cultural resources and architectural history of the Rand Mining District as well as adjacent historic and pre-historic sites in the Upper Mojave Desert Region of California.
Information about the communities of Randsburg, Johannesburg, Red Mountain (Osdick), Atolia, Garlock, Saltdale, and Cantil can be found at the museum & website. Additionally, we have info and exhibits about Burro Schmidt’s Tunnel, Red Rock Canyon, Trona, Ballarat, Skidoo, the Searle’s Lake Pinnacles and other ‘excitements’ in the surrounding area.
This web site is a portal to our extensive collections, including photos, documents, news articles, maps, letters & artifacts. Together they form a rich tapestry, enriching our visitors’ understanding, a virtual experience of the culture, excitement, drama of the times; enhancing an appreciation of our place in the pageant of history, from the late 19th Century to the present.
We strive to make the site a showcase of content presentation, holistic, (multi-faceted) cultural geography, neural network navigation, interactive graphics & animation. Suggestions Welcome!
Rand Desert Museum is recognized as the primary source for historic & genealogical researchers searching for the host of ancestors who ‘Saw the Elephant’ of life in the Rand District during the boom years.
The site fulfills our public outreach mission with a bang, an ‘Anvil Salute': In the year since starting work on the site we have heard from several descendants, including the Rose & Charles Burcham Family, descendants of the co-discoverers of the famous Yellow Aster Mine (!), who have generously offered priceless letters, photos, etc. Also contributing have been the descendets of the Wynn Family who owned and operated the Baltic Mine and many others too numerous to mention that have sent us original photos or copies from their family collections. Every contribution is deeply appreciated, as the collection becomes the deeper and the richer!
*** WANTED: LETTERS, PHOTOS, DOCUMENTS OF RAND PIONEERS! ***
Copies Welcome! (Contributions are recognized and credited, links provided, by request.)Volunteers, Interns, Code Monkeys – Welcome!
Please use the top row navigation above to view historical information relating to specific locations. The links on the left are for information about the museum and info which relates to the entire Rand Desert area. A work-in-progress, kindly forgive the many gaps and incomplete subjects.
To view a larger version of any image on the site, simply click it, click again to return. Search for your ancestors by entering their names in the Search Window, at the upper left. Enjoy your stay and please visit us if you are ever near Randsburg!
Each year the Rand Desert Museum sponsors an *OLD WEST DAYS*. This event is a street fair with country western and bluegrass bands, food booths, antiques, collectibles, and other vendors. Gunfighters, Mounted Posse, Vintage Car Show, and other Entertainment. The *OLD WEST DAYS*is held this year on the 3rd Saturday of September from 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. It starts off with an all you can eat Pancake Breakfast at the Opera House ($5.00 donation). This is a fundraiser for the museum.